Hozier, Lizzy McAlpine, Chappell Roan, and more: What you missed at Lollapalooza Day 1

chicago, il- august 1st, 2024

The 2024 Lollapalooza lineup is beyond stacked for any music lover with any affinity for indie alternative, and the first day packs a punch. The city is filled to the brim, even more so than usual, with festival goers from many parts of the world. If I didn’t live in the city, I would’ve made the trek myself for this do-not-miss lineup. It’s one full of returners and first-timers alike, with sets that have you bouncing all over Grant Park to catch them.

Day 1 is the perfect manifestation of what the festival is all about. Indie darlings, pop icons, heavy synth, fast rap, there’s something for everyone. Here’s a glimpse of what you missed:

Chappell Roan

Chappell Roan is the moment and the crowd proved just that. Grant Park had a crowd stretched from the T-Mobile Stage back to the IHG stage as fans patiently waited for, what she coined herself as, “ The Midwest Princess”. Looking out into the crowd, you’d find people dressed head to toe in pink, cowboy hats on and posters held high to the sky all with their heads turned in anticipation of the princess herself. A graphic titled “Chappell Wrestling” in 90’s WrestleMania font appears on the screen as she starts and in classic Chappell fashion, she brought the energy to the stage right away. Her sleek pigtails and pink and blue almost Hulk Hogan-inspired get-up was front and center as she was accompanied by wrestlers and bodybuilders, most notably all women. Flanked by her fierce crew, Roan had the crowd eating out of the palm of her hand as she powered through fan favorites like "Casual" and "Pink Pony Club”, and of course “HOT-TO-GO” in which the audience ditched their phones for a moment of synchronized dancing. The Midwest princess was clearly in her element, feeding off the electric energy of the Lollapalooza faithful who sang along passionately to every word.

Lizzy McAlpine

Lizzy McApline is the calm before the storm and the perfect set to catch before headliner Hozier takes the Budlight stage. Her performances always bring a peaceful energy and the audience matched that well. A greenish filter to match the ‘Older’ album cover lit the screen and added to the ambiance of her set. She started with “Come Down Soon”, and as always she is so effortlessly soulful and has an incredible tone. The lapsteel instrument truly elevated the whole set and became a major standout of the lineup. Each musician had their own time to shine and it made the whole concert really special for the crowd to know that the production was more than just Lizzy herself, but her whole team. “All Falls Down” followed, and then she continued later on with “I Guess”, where she added an additional reprise to the chorus and another lapsteel solo. This performance showcased Lizzy’s major growth as an artist, with a heavier Sufjan Stevens cover that is a new addition to the setlist but equally as heartbreaking, her seemingly effortless runs and exploitations in “Doomsday” and a new unreleased song that was upbeat and sad at the same time.

Labrinth

Known for his huge effort in producing the tracks behind HBO’s, euphoria, Labrinth production laces synth and R&B for a perked ear. Labrinth has a unique take on his performance where he can quickly control the crowd’s energy. From a slow and reflective “Never Felt So Alone” to a heavy bass beat like “Mount Everest”, he has such a strong dichotomy that is on an intense spectrum. The set, however, had all of the visuals you would expect from an EDM set at Perry’s Stage to match the peak moments of his music, with full-body projection and laser lights. While he’s very well known for his production and synth work, something that is not as well known is his ability to shred the electric guitar. Throughout the set he would effortlessly pick up his guitar for captivating short solos and set it down again to make his way across the stage for another moment with just a mic.

Benson Boone

We’ve all seen Benson Boone’s stage presence all over TikTok. He’s doing more gymnastics than the athletes at the Olympics, and for that reason the crowd was instantly locked in with him. Just as it started to cool off in the blazing August heat, and the iconic Lollapalooza balloon set sail, Benson Boone’s voice could be heard loud and clear. His opening set began with “Intro”, obviously the perfect starter. What began as a slow piano-based ballad transformed to his powerful voice taking center stage and seamlessly blended in to “Be Someone”. In his all-denim outfit with letterman jacket letters on the back spelling out “Booner”, he was very open and vulnerable with the crowd on the meanings of his songs and the inspiration behind them, the most memorable moment was his speech about how he falls in love quickly and the tribulations of that. “Cry”, “Drunk In My Mind” and “Slow It Down” were crowd favorites along with an unreleased track “Pretty Slowly” that is set to be released in the following weeks.

Hozier

Hozier’s set closed down Day 1 and its never a dull moment with him. As the crowd made their final choices of the night between Hozier and Megan the Stallion, making your way through Grant Park, you’re able to hear the conglomeration of different ranges, catching the final moments of performances of Perry’s and Bacardi, and it really speaks to the diversity of the festival.

Hoziers performance was nothing less than what you would expect, as he pulled the brightest moments from his discography to bring the house down. A standout moment was when he was very outspoken about the causes that align with his values. He spoke about the US Civil Rights Movement and the direct correlation between it and the Irish movement. He used his platform to speak on the ongoing conflict in Gaza and urged his audience to contact their local representatives in demand for a ceasefire. This speech led into the inspiring song, “Nina Cried Power” which amplified his message. A Hozier set is never complete without the infectiousness of “Almost (Sweet Music)” and “Too Sweet”.

He wrapped up Day 1 perfectly and as the rain began to pour down and the sunset on Chicago, every emotion was left on stage.

Read about the joys of Lollapalooza Day 2 here.

Coverage assisted by Suma Sesay.

Cover Photo by Nathan Zucker for Lollapalooza.